Saved by airkooledchris. Remember the bug that needed saving? airkooledchris saved it when I could not. Location location location. We reunited, over his Jetta TDI that had been towed home on the hook the day before. Shredded timing belt. We helped him push it into the garage just so, said our hellos, and made the run to Arcata and the Redwood Curtain Brewery. I forgot the camera that night, so, alas, the cross I bear, I was forced to return the next day.
I know, I know, an industrial park storefront in nasty rain.
There was kind of an office space up front, with some art on the wall, and then the warehouse, uh, brewery, with a bar. I found it charming.
I had an IPA dry hopped with Galaxy hops that was delicious. Their mainstay IPA wasn't as delicious after the dry hopped, but still very tasty. We left about the time the place started filling up with young coeds on a Thursday evening and tooled back down to Eureka to pick up a couple of slices and visit The Local beer bar, which had no problem with outside food brought in, despite their menu of veggie or meat pies for $5. I passed on the opportunity. The pizza place was closing, so we ended up with four slices for the price of two, one of which fed this beast.
Not a brewery, just a beer bar, featuring the niches of extremes and just darn good.
Eureka chic felt right down home.
We had a Cali blond with the slices, and scoped the selection. Local was well represented. Constantly changing taps, with a cooler of bottled equally as esoteric. I recognized the Monk's Blood tristessa gave me a taste of in Maupin.
I settled in with a Heretic Evil Cousin Double IPA. Yum.
And I could not resist the call of an Imperial with a lethal IBU rating of 1,000. Heavenly indulgence.
Next morning we hit the road back to Amboy with the kids in tow. Oddly enough they weren't interested in any roadside attractions and we essentially drove straight through except for a brief interlude along the shore at Smelt Sands a stone's throw north of Yachats.
And a stop in South Beach because, I'm sorry, hands above better fish and chips. More indulgence. Mmmm, Captain's platter ... . Oh, sorry, no photos, eating was on the brain, or stomach, or something.
From there, home again. Last leg.
Thank you airkooledchris, thank you Bertha Bus, friends, family, all my relations, ...
neal